Summary As a Civil Engineer, you'll will serve as engineering support in the functional areas of structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, cost estimating, or site development. This position provides support in the planning, design, review, and coordination in design projects involving the discipline of civil engineering for WAPA's power system facilities including buildings, transmission lines and substations.
*This is not a remote position. Required to be physically present in Lakewood, CO* Duties
As a Civil Engineer, you will:
- Prepare and participates in the planning, design, review, and coordination in any design projects involving the discipline of civil engineering related to WAPA's power system facilities.
- Prepare and review structural analysis for buildings, electrical equipment structures, communication towers and transmission line structures.
Qualifications
Applicants MUST meet both the Basic Requirement AND Specialized Experience as outlined below for each grade level.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET); or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.
-OR-
B. Combination of Education and Experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:
- Professional registration or license -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1 , or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico.
- Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
- Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. OR
- Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.
**Refer to OPM's All Professional Engineering Positions, 0800 Individual Occupational Requirements for more information.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: A qualified candidate's 2-page resume must demonstrate at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as:
- To qualify for the GS-11 level: Applicants must have either:
- Education: Three (3) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. -OR-
- Specialized Experience: One year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level or equivalent pay band. This experience MUST include at least two (2) of the following, assisting with:
- Preparation of design drawings, technical specifications, and/or cost estimates.
- Performing structural analysis and design, or foundation design, or civil sitework.
- Reviewing technical documents and/or contractor submittals for compliance with basic engineering requirements and project specifications.
- Providing technical support by researching standards, criteria, and/or previous project documentation.
- To qualify for the GS-12 level: Education cannot be substituted for experience. Applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level or equivalent pay band. This experience MUST include at least two (2) of the following:
- Planning, organizing, coordinating, or the preparation of engineering estimates, designs, drawings and specifications for a diverse variety of civil type projects such as buildings, or electrical equipment structures, structure foundations, drainage facilities, or piping and containment ponds.
- Analyzing structures and foundations.
- Serves as a professional resource for engineering aspects related to buildings, transmission lines, substation structures, or geotechnical engineering.
- Prepare and review technical documents and contractor submittals for compliance with engineering requirements and project specifications.
"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills; and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
NOTE: Education and experience may be combined for all grade levels for which both education and experience are acceptable.Education This vacancy has a positive education requirement. In order to be rated as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Department of Education Accreditation Search to verify school accreditation.
Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. DO NOT email or mail in any of your application documents. Documents will not be accepted outside of the online application system.
Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a rating of "Ineligible".
Requirements
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
- Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
- Appointments made under the DHA are processed as "new" appointments. Current Federal employees may be required to serve a new probationary period (5 CFR 315.802(b). Employees serving on a probationary period may be terminated at any time during the probationary or trial period for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service.
- Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications.
- In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
- Incumbent must have a valid and current State driver's license.
- At the GS-13 grade level, you will be required to obtain and maintain the required DOE/WAPA certification to serve as a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) or Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR). Based upon obtaining this certification you will then be required to complete an annual financial disclosure (OGE-450).
How you will be evaluated This position is announced under a government-wide Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) for STEM/Civil Engineer positions in the 0810 series. Under the DHA, applicants who meet the Education and Qualification requirements listed in this announcement will be referred for consideration. Veteran's Preference, category rating, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply under the DHA process.
USAHire: To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.
Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications.
If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.
Successful candidates will possess the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
- Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning
- Attention to Detail
- Customer Service
- Flexibility
- Integrity/Honesty
- Interpersonal Skills
- Learning
- Reading Comprehension
- Self-Management
- Stress Tolerance
- Teamwork
Career Transition Assistance Programs: If you are eligible for career transition assistance, such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the Education and Qualification requirements to be referred for consideration.
You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (11/20/2026) of this announcement.
To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13100648
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits. How to apply Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration.
The application process is as follows:
- You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/.
- To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
- Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
- You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
- If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
- Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
- Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
- Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
- Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/
If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support. Other information
- This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE.
- For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: www.telework.gov
- The selectee for this position may be eligible to receive a recruitment or relocation incentive. You will need to sign an employment agreement to be eligible for this incentive.
- Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs are not authorized.
- This position may be eligible for creditable service towards annual leave. Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. DOE may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
- Status and Non-Status applicants from outside DOE selected under this authority are required to serve a mandatory one (1) year probationary period. A DOE career status employee selected for this position may be required to serve a new one (1) year probationary period, pursuant to 5 CFR 315.802.
- Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement will be adjusted to include locality payment for selected duty location and grade. Special Rate Table #753 is used for DOE, civil engineers in Lakewood, CO.
